Match of the Millennium

Description: Bezique arranges her World Warrior match with the Cyborg Maxima in the middle of an illegal street racing event in the middle of Downtown Metro!

[BEZIQUE]
There was no exact venue for this tournament. Not that it was a problem, exactly... Though with the crowd that had already formed in this area, mainly due to a pair of cars street racing--which involved them doing donuts and burnouts against eachother amidst a circular crowd, well--it meant that a littlew... crowd control was warranted.

A pair of cards came out of somewhere in the crowd, hitting the tires and disabling the two vehicles--one rolling over harmlessly as the crowd began to disappate--though not for long. Stepping into the middle of the circular stretch of parking lot downtown was Bezique--uncloaked from any magical disguise or barrier, and able to seen for what she was--some kind of strange white-haired bunny woman, wearing a black silk tophat and a magician's outfit. Not magic missile kind of magician, this was more Zatanna Zatara. Black tailcoat, white button up shirt, bow-tie, red cummerbund--leading down to where fishnets emerged from a leotard worn beneath it all. Fishnet tights right down into big black boots.

This being Metro City had a thing about 'darkstalkers' and the like, and there were jeers and shouts and insults, 40oz bottles being thrown--a few were disintegrated by a card thrown from her white gloved hands, dismissively.

"Not even a dark one, y'all--and I'll be your show for this evening--soon as my dance partner shows up--" she snapped her fingers. Wherever Maxima was, he might feel a pull, of sorts--either letting him know exactly where to come, or teleported right there, if he allows it--in a circular portal of magical playing cards!

[MAXIMA]
There is the increasing roar in the distance. The sound growing louder as a motorcycle starts to close in. Maxima wasn't fully informed where the fight would be, but was told he would know it when he saw it. Yes it was in Metro, but what part? Well it didn't take long to find it since he found the parked cars and people meandering about waiting for a fight.

The bike comes to a halt and the big Canadian dismounts while lighting up a cigar. He takes a long puff as his eyes dart about. He is already analyzing the situation and sees there are not threats from NESTS here or threats at all beyond who he would be facing.

And who he is facing is an unknown. Someone not in any database he has access too and overall a fighter that feels like she came out of nowhere. Honestly that feels thrilling to the cyborg. It is rare he goes into a fight knowing next to nothing and the smile on his face shows that as he steps forward. "Bezique?" He asks and takes one last puff before dropping the cigar and stomping it out.

"This should be interesting. Hope I can be a good dance partner for you this evening."

[BEZIQUE]
"Well howdy there, looks like this show is just getting started--" Bezique grins, showing off a pair of notable buck teeth as she does so and casually flicks out some more cards--a barrier of very large ones rising up from the asphault--erecting a cordon between the two fighters and the huge throng of people.

"That should hold 'em, don't want any of 'em to get hurt, now," Bezique turns back to Maxima. "Oooh--you're a big boy, aren't you? I am a little rusty--but don't go easy on me, now," she cracks her knuckles, before fanning out a series of glowing playing cards into the air, where they hover. She begins to approach Maxima, selecting a card floating before her and it expands in size--glowing green, what looks like a moustached gentleman hefting a shield on the face side of the card as Bezique and it come for him!

COMBATSYS: Bezique has started a fight here on the left meter side.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Bezique          0/-------/-------|

COMBATSYS: Maxima brings his battle systems online.

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Bezique          0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0           Maxima

COMBATSYS: Bezique successfully hits Maxima with Jack of Shields.
- Power hit! -

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Bezique          0/-------/-----<<|===----\-------\0           Maxima

[MAXIMA]
"Big boy? No, I'm Canadian." It is a deadpan response. He seems to have some humor despite looking on the gruff side. He cricks his neck and there is the sound of machinery whirring up and steam being releaed from his arm cannons. "I suppose I am ready, madam."

And saying that seems to instantly give Bezique the cue to come right at him. His gaze remains fixated as he tries to figure things out. Her style unknown as the car she brings up expands and seems to come alive.

He brings his arms up to steady himself and take the blow, but it hits him with enough force to stagger him back several feet and he regains his balance. "Interesting." Another new style to get familar with and add to the database. It seems entering this tournament was worthwhile.

Preparing himself, the Canadian starts forward, momentum being gained as he reaches forward. He looks to just grasp Bezique with his giant hand while plowing forward. Be it the barrier erected or something else, that is probably the only thing that may stop his charge.

COMBATSYS: Maxima successfully hits Bezique with Maxima Press.

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Bezique          0/-------/<<<<<<<|======-\-------\0           Maxima

[BEZIQUE]
The magician had aimed the attack to act as a barrier between herself and her opponent--as effective as it was, the lapine woman was not able to move before Maxima barreled into her--knocking her off balance. It definitely hurt--forcing her to reach up to stead her head--and her hat.

"Do all Canadians hit that hard?" she seemed surprised, impressed even--swiping her hand out into the air and producing another set of glowing playing cards, this time they are glowing multiple colors--yellow, blue and red--she prises them between her fingers, and with lightning speed ducks under his huge barreling form to deliver them in a punch to that broad chest of his!

The cards are infused with chi--or perhaps they /were/ chi, pure energy forged to strike into him!

COMBATSYS: Bezique successfully hits Maxima with Full Monte EX.

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Bezique          1/------</<<<<<<<|=======\==-----\1           Maxima

[MAXIMA]
"Couldn't tell you. I do have an advantage over most." He admits and he isn't wrong. He isn't exactly going into detail, but he figures given he is a former King of Fighters winner there is some information out there about his prowess and he isn't exactly human.

He manags to hit hard, but not hard enough. Beziaue still stands and she is quick to recover and come right back at him. He still doesn't have enough information on her style or how to fully handle her attacks, but it is a live and learn situation. He prepared for the blow, but she comes in at a right angle to hit Maxima solidly once more and stagger him back. "Heh."

He has to admit he is impressed. The style somewhat unique, but somewhat similar to Oswald in a strange way. He can't let the feeling out process continue too much, but he plods forward he looks to come forward and give a straight on punch with a meaty hand. If he can connect he vapour cannon around his wrist will release a powerful burst looking to knock his opponent back.

COMBATSYS: Bezique just-defends Maxima's M4 Model Vapour Cannon!

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Bezique          1/------</<<<<<<<|=======\==-----\1           Maxima

[BEZIQUE]
The meaty Canadian's punch comes around and connects right with Bezique's head--the vapor cannons let loose--and there is a flurry of cards.

Bezique's head is /gone/.

Instead, the collar and bowtie of her outfit begin to unravel into so many playing cards, as does the rest of her body. She was made of playing cards the whole time?!

"Sorry hon, that was just a dummy," the hare woman is instead standing several feet away, and she's doffing her hat--she holds it under her arm like a firehose, and from within it's black depths a whirling torrent of air issues from inside--blowing cards around in a flurry. Like Maxima's air cannon however, this is actually more of a burst of air--but it's like a whole sustain tornado issuing from the hat and coming at him!

COMBATSYS: Maxima interrupts Friendly Monsoon from Bezique with Bunker Buster EX.

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Bezique          1/=======/=======|==-----\-------\0           Maxima

[MAXIMA]
The hit felt solid enough, but then the body he looked to connect with is falling apart like a house of cards. He is learning on the fly, but he is already starting to see what tricks the rabbit has up her sleeves. Can he figure them all out in time to adjust and win is another matter, but at this point it is less about winning and more about information.

"So I see. Very quick." The move isn't too different than a ninja leaving a log in his or her place when a blow looks like it is about to connect. And he is starting to catch on to the movements and how she attacks. Not enough to fully devise a strategy, but it is comine. He just needs to try and withstand the punishment. Like that almost tornado like swirl of energy coming right at him.

He digs his feet in and lets the powerful winds hit him and push him back, but he pushes forward and has the strength to come right at Bezique and break through the attack and slam his fist hard into her abdomen before the vapour cannon unleashes a powerful blast to knock her back. "An interesting style to say the least. Interesting you have gone so long without anyone really seeing it in action."

[BEZIQUE]
"Gah!" the huge hammerblow of a punch is enough to get a full on wide-eyed, jaw-gaped look of pain out of the rabbit, her body doubling over the arm momentarily. She had already been wide-eyed that he'd been able to power through the windstorm and just advance on her, but it remained through the blow to her chest. Oof. It definitely took something out of her, but she wasn't stopping just yet.

"Guh, really strong there, partner--I think I felt my ribs cave in on my organs a bit, haha--" she placed her hat back on carefully and spread her arms wide, cards jumping from one hand of hers to the other, as if she was shuffling them. All around her, a circle of those glowing cards orbited, the magician amassing for something /big/.

COMBATSYS: Bezique gathers her will.

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Bezique          2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|==-----\-------\0           Maxima

[MAXIMA]
"Heh, I would be insulting you if I didn't hit hard." This is a fight and he has learned taking it easy on someone isn't always the best option. This is the World Warrior and Bezqiue wouldn't be here if she weren't strong. It would be rude to hold back and as a whole make the fight less meaningful. Win or lose he will make sure this fight is fair and no one will leave feeling cheated.

His gaze flickers as he watches the cards swirl about and he has a feeling whatever the woman is planning it isn't going to exactly feel nice. Can he stop it? It is possible, but he is going to have to power through the barrior of cards swirling about her.

He surges forward once more, his body hurling forward to once again get in close and make an impact. This one in the form of him leaving his feet to deliver a large, double footed dropkick right into the torso of Bezique.

COMBATSYS: Bezique blocks Maxima's Dynamite Drop.

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Bezique          2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|===----\-------\0           Maxima

[BEZIQUE]
"Well--oof--I'm glad you're giving it everything!" Bezique nodded, her eyes going wide again as the Canadian jumps toward her--this time she's able to bring her arms up, but it perhaps wasn't the wisest move to try to gird against--her boots sliding back against the asphault and kicking up not only dust but also bits of sole in the process are being grinded away from the massive force of the biker's might.

She goes tumbling back but she is able to avoid cracking her head on the pavement, though due to how she rolled backwards as she fell, less due to some supernatural shenanigans.

She pulls herself up, one hand against the ground and the other keeping her hat in place, pulling herself up to a stand and bringing one of her big booted feet up to deliver a straight kick to the man's midsection!

Careful viewers might note the bunny toebean pattern on the soles of the boots.

COMBATSYS: Maxima interrupts Rabbit Kick from Bezique with M19 Model Blitz Cannon EX.
- Power hit! -

[                         \\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Bezique          2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|======-\-------\0           Maxima

[MAXIMA]
Perhaps not as solid of hit has he had hoped for, but it was something. Enough to maybe even throw Bezique off her game, though not enough to down her and stop whatever she was planning.

Or was it? While he expected some sort of big explosion of power given the pattern of attacks it is something more straight forward. IN fact it is more in the flavor of the attack he just did. Bezique charges him as he is getting back to his feet after the dropkick and he is readying himself as best he can.

That kick comes straight into his midsection and connects, an metallic clang as it does so, but what Bezique soon finds is herself grabbed by the cyborg with a big hand to snatch her out of the air. Upwards he hefts here as his vapour cannon whirls to life again and unleashes another blast to send her skywards and away from him.

[BEZIQUE]
Bezique finds herself picked up and SIEZED, eyes wide again as she's struggling to figure out what just happened--before she's blown up into the air. She sails upwards for what seems like 20, 30, maybe even 40 feet--before coming back down with a sickening crunch--getting to her feet somehow again with her hat on askew. The long ears of the strange woman were cocked to one side as well--probably from how she fell.

As she wavers about, it doesn't look like she's able to take the few steps needed towards Maxima to retaliate--instead she expels all that energy outward--in a single force. A large white energy fireball sparks out towards Maxima--hitting the ground before him as what looks like a giant playing card rising out. On the face is what looks like a ghostly confederate general, huge beard, moustache, cap, even a cape--and he raises a ghostly cavalry sabre towards the Canadian to strike--the slash rending the air and sending sparks of energy everywhere!

And with that, Bezique falters and stumbles, collapsing onto her stomach.

COMBATSYS: Bezique can no longer fight.

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Maxima           0/-------/-======|

COMBATSYS: Bezique successfully hits Maxima with #The General EX#.

[                       \\\\\\\  <
Maxima           1/-------/=======|

[MAXIMA]
She is tough, that is for sure, but there is perhaps need for more experience. Against most fighters she would win this just for the sheer power of her attacks. He is impressed by what he has seen and he sees things aren't over when Bezique rises to her feet. Unsteady s he may be, but she is still a dangerous opponent on her feet.

She proves so with the attack. A grand finale that shows her unleashing all the energy she has left in that single attack. One that Maxima is unsure fully what to expect. All he can do is stand there and see things unfold.

The card rises and that ghostly general emerges to come right at him. The Cyborg is not really one able or likely to avoid the incoming attack so he stands his ground. The release of energy clashes with Maxima and he keeps his arms raised and his eyes closed as he withstands the attack. The sparks fly and a mix of blood and oil smatter the area around him as he is cut open in various places and is pushed back by the sheer force of the attack.

The last burst sends him staggering back and he falls to a knee breathing heavily. "Impressive. Worthy of being a World Warrior competitor." he murmurs while slowly rising up to his feet. A hard fought battle, but manages to stay on his feet. Already he is diverting his combat systems to focus on repairs to help keep him moving. If this is what he is expected to face for World Warrior he realizes he is in for a long road of mayhem. Yet he wouldn't want it any other way.

COMBATSYS: Maxima takes his battle systems offline.


[BEZIQUE]
"Bluh--urgh--" Bezique can probably be heard over the roar of the crowd as she begins to move again, looking up and around, one of her eyes is blood red from burst capillaries, in contrast with the white fur around it.

"Guess you done survived that, hon...? All I needed was a little more..." she snaps her fingers, though not just in an 'aww shucks' kind of way, but also to summon a ring of cards to swirl around her.

"Catch you next time, mechanical man--" she disappears in a flurry of cards. Not just to make a snappy exit--but also to avoid any of the rowdy crowd that likely weren't that friendly to 'darkstalkers'.

Log created on 19:03:54 09/09/2023 by Bezique, and last modified on 10:08:35 09/10/2023.